


A Mass Akuma Situation...

by kireiflora



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Episode: s03 Ladybug, Gen, Identity Reveal, Nathaniel is the real hero, Soon I promise, The class finds out about Lila's 'disease', and then something far more important, minor salt really, ml salt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-14 16:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20603510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kireiflora/pseuds/kireiflora
Summary: ...is not so easily forgotten.Nathaniel is here to ask the important questions, and if he accidentally exposes a couple people by asking them...well...its not a bad thing exactly.((Spoilers for the episode: Ladybug!))





	1. Karma's gonna come collect your debt

**Author's Note:**

> There's a few things about (the episode) Ladybug that bug me, but this is one that I just couldn't ignore, so Nathaniel is here to be my mouth piece to get it started. 
> 
> Because someone has to be suspicious about that, right?
> 
> This picks up on the morning after, where Mari's back in school, though how exactly hasn't been explained to the class yet.
> 
> Edit: Chapter title now a call out to Lila's theme song :3

After all was said and done and Marinette was back in school, there was still an unanswered question on one persons mind.

"Remember Hero's day?" Nathaniel asked the quiet class while they waited for Bustier to arrive. 

Heads turned looking back up at him. "What about it?" Lila asked, trying to figure out the angle of the question.

"Hawkmoth...he used the apparent demise of Chat Noir to akumatize a lot of people, something he had to have a hand in creating!" he was a little passionate, working with Marc had had him thinking of stuff like this with more of a plot. Hero's day was planned, down to every detail except the end, he had no doubts.

"Yeah, Ladybug even said as much that day." Alya chimed in, tilting her head and hoping nobody would ask her how she knew that, "Where-"

"And then! From Prime Queens broadcast, we saw he used Dark Cupid to make the right emotions to re-reakumatize." he had gotten started now and he was going to keep talking until he lost the thought, looking around the confused gazes of his classmates and begging them to understand.

"That's right." Alix offered, "But I'm not sure the po-"

"How did he know to send so many akuma to our school? He had to be somehow ready to pull that out! He only does it when he has a plan to cause that much emotion!" Nathaniel was struggling with the weight of all the now incredulous stares. "How could he have known? How could he have been ready for something like that?"

You could've heard a pin drop as the rest of the class tried to figure it out.

"Well..." Max started reluctantly, reaching up and pushing his glasses back as he continued, "I suppose the answer to that question lies in who framed Marinette." he gestured up front to where she sat.

Marinette floundered for a moment, as all the attention shot to her, "I-well..." she caught sight of Adrien and remembered how he'd been willing to speak up for her in the locker room, and gathered herself. "Lila told Damocles that she has a disease that makes her unable to control what she says. That doesn't explain the planted evidence however." she was curious to see how Lila would spin this.

"Wait-hold on, a disease that makes her say random stuff?" Alya had her phone out, "Like what?"

"Well, I'd imagine all three things she accused me of, since she confessed to those." Marinette replied. "But I have no idea outside of that." she sunk into her seat in relief as all the attention turned back to Lila. She hated not just mentioning every other lie she'd ever told but that wasn't going to get her on the classes good side. 

"So? How did the evidence get there if the accusations were false?" Chloe pressed, withholding a smirk.

"I-" she was backed into a corner, mind spinning. "I only said that because Adrien told me to!" maybe the truth was the best way, for once. She felt a vindication as he was the one now under fire, that's what you get for crossing Lila Rossi.

Adrien swallowed as the attention turned to him, but underneath that was a sickening realization he was reaching. How _did_ Hawkmoth know? Whatever she'd done, she'd done it of her free will, but, maybe she was their best way to find Hawkmoth. "I told you to right the wrong you'd caused Marinette, and you didn't deny that it was you that caused it." he said, calmer than he felt. "Which sounds to me, like _you_ planted the evidence."

Lila froze for a split second, before bursting into sobs, buying her time to think as well as sympathy. "I only did it for you!" she burst out to the stunned classroom. "I just want what's best for you!" she looked up, desperately finding his face to appear genuine, "Marinette isn't good for you!" was her final blow.

Nobody was expecting the uncaring expression paired with the frown on his face. "You sound just like my father." he said flatly before most of the class had even looked away from her, and thus caught the look of trapped surprise Lila sported for a moment. "Is that it? My father put you up to this?!" he demanded, shooting up from his seat with a sudden anger. That was just like him, dictating his friends and using someone to spy on him when he didn't comply! 

"I-I-" wait, this was her best bet to get out of this scot-free! She'd be a fool not to take it. "Not in so many words..." she said meekly, looking away from the class, bringing small tears up and blinking quickly. They'd be back on her side now, she was just a poor kid manipulated by an adult, both of which just wanted the best for Adri-

"Oh my god." Nathaniel spoke up for the first time since starting this. "Oh my god!" he said again, looking around the room frantically. "Alya-that's not streaming right?" he asked frantically, catching sight of her phone.

"N-no! Just recording! Why?" she floundered, still reeling from the blows, that Lila did (or did not?) have a disease that caused her to lie, followed by the fact Marinette had been right and Lila _had_ done it all yesterday, the realization a grown man was manipulating a teenager was still sinking in, let alone whatever bomb was about to come out.

"My father is Hawkmoth." Adrien said with wide eyes, attempting to drop back into his seat but missing and hitting the floor hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nath was the pushing force because A. I love him B. I think he would start thinking of Akuma in terms of plot after working on a comic with Marc, and C. He sits next to Lila so everyone's attention would already be sorta on her.
> 
> Meanwhile, after her day yesterday Marinette is trying to stay out of it all for at least a day, no luck.
> 
> Just in case it wasn't clear, as the class got off on a tangent and most of them don't remember why exactly this conversation had started. Nath and Adrien connected the dots that Hawkmoth knowing there would be a good excuse for mass akumatization, and Gabriel having supported the one that caused the situation, was probably related. Adrien of course also knows about the book that put Ladybug on his trail to begin with, which makes him even more sure than Nath who's just suspecting it now.
> 
> I technically do have a chapter 2 but I don't know if I'd want to do the full rest of the logical conclusion to this discovery.
> 
> Edit: Guess I will do more! Chapter 2 probably tomorrow.


	2. Got a secret, can you keep it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I take some creative liberties with how much of Ladybug was seen by the public, the class is in an absolute panic, and Adriens not really 100% right but that doesn't matter. Chloe's not actually That Bad and Lila is not sure how to play this to her advantage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrien panics while he connects all the dots, even if they're not all right exactly, but that doesn't really matter, everything he thought he knew is coming down around him anyway. Meanwhile both heros try to figure out ways to make their escapes, it works out well for them.
> 
> Everyone really wanted more, so more there is!

"Oh my god I'm living with Hawkmoth-Natalie must be Mayura-oh my-I can't-I-" his breath was wheezing out of his throat.

"What-no that's not possible!" Marinette rushed, going to his side, trying to calm him down. "He's been akumatized!" she was hesitant to put her hands on him without permission, so they just hung in the air awkwardly.

"Yesterday Mayura used her thing on herself! Whose to say he can't as well! It fits!" Adrien pressed on, needing to make them all understand, looking only at Marinette, not wanting to see the expressions of everyone else. "Think about it! He manipulates Lila into this scheme to hurt you, to hurt everyone in the class, causing a perfect storm for reakumatization. I-" it hurt to look her in the eyes and tell a lie, given everything, but he couldn't say the truth, "I heard Ladybug and Chat Noir discussing the possibility right around when he got akumatized! Which was the perfect way to throw them off his track!"

Marinette's hands fell limply to her sides. "Didn't you say your father called a doctor to the house yesterday? For Natalie, for _Mayura _who was sick or something yesterday?" she was staring out over his head. "Oh my god. Gabriel Agreste _is_ Hawkmoth." something about how he knew some details wasn't adding up but that wasn't important, everything _she_ knew lined up.

"Guys-guys this is crazy! He's a horrible father but he's not evil!" Nino tried to speak up, more out of defense of his friend than his father.

"Style Queen." Chloe suddenly said. "He always gives my mom front row seats but he suddenly didn't, knowing just how upset that would make her. Why would he do that if he _wasn't_ Hawkmoth?"

"He said it was a technical error." Sabrina piped up.

"Natalie told her that, Natalie would've _known _my father always gives her front row seats." Adrien said instead. "And thus known that he wanted to make her mad. She was very sure he wouldn't be taking her call as well..."

Silence covered the room as nobody could think of anything to say, no excuse they could think of, other than the idea that he was Hawkmoh, which had now taken root like a weed.

"I _have_ to post this right now." Alya said, rapidly swiping at her screen.

"No!" roughly half the class shouted, startling her into dropping the phone where it clattered to the floor.

"Ladybug-"

"Hawkmoth probably keeps an eye there too! If we make noise about knowing who he is-who knows what he'd do?" Alix stressed.

Lila was saved from any further probing by the panic that had overtook the class, while she quietly panicked for different reasons. Hawkmoth and Gabriel being the same? It did make sense, she'd toyed with the idea before, because why _would_ Gabriel care about her? She hadn't cared who Hawkmoth was, only what he did for her. But now he might suspect her for blowing his cover if whatever the heros did failed. She had to figure her way out of this, she calmed down, she had time. Time and her silver tongue was all she'd ever needed.

"How are we supposed to tell them then?! We can't just _sit_ on this!" Kim's voice rang out above the others, passionate and desperate.

"I'll make a post, saying I know of a possible akuma." Chloe's voice filled in the silence Kim's voice caused.

"Oh why you? I can do that myself." Alya rolled her eyes, "But that _is _a good idea....thanks Chloe." it looked like it pained her to say but it was a good idea after all.

"If they're going to go for Hawkmoth, they'll need all hands on deck. Venom would be useful!" Chloe interrupted her grab for her phone, "Plus," she made a face, "I've caused enough she'll have reason to check it out without causing alarm, opposed to you causing one." she wasn't completely blind to the things that happened around her, but she refused to apologize. She hadn't done it for awhile, that was enough of an apology in her book, and Ladybug clearly thought she wasn't that bad since she _had_ brought her the Bee miraculous.

"I say let Chloe do it." Marinette spoke up for the first time in awhile, eyes not moving from Adrien's mostly still form. "She's right, Ladybug will probably want everyone, it also wouldn't be strange for her just to request her to come by without the akuma threat." she finally looked up to Alya for a moment, "If we raise an akuma alarm without an actual potential cause, he could get suspicious. Or just cause one, which wouldn't be helpful."

"Adrien, what do you think bro?" Nino asked, getting down beside Marinette and the still shell shocked blond. "Also you should come stay at my place dude, or anyone's place really." while he wasn't quite 100% sold on Gabriel being Hawkmoth, if he was....his bro wasn't safe in that house, especially if the fight ended up occurring there.

The second statement finally shook him out of his thoughts, where he'd been connecting all the ways it made sense. "He might read into that too-"

"You're not just-"

"-not safe!"

"-could be-"

"-out of your mind-"

"-be in danger!"

"HEY!" he shouted over the protests, "Let me finish!" he added at the ensuing silence. "I'm sure if Ladybug and Chat Noir agree we're right, they'd get me out before anything actually happened." he scoffed slightly, rolling his eyes, "I'll be fine, its not the first time my room's been the stage for a battle."

There was another roar of outrage at that, people connecting the idea of Hawk Agreste and how many times _Adrien _had been in direct danger. He felt a welcome warmth in his chest at the concern, even though that would make it hard to escape the room to transform.

"We have to act now."

"What? Why not just after school girl?" Alya blinked at her best friend.

She made a face and hesitantly stood up, trusting Nino to keep an eye on him for a moment. "I can't say that I trust Lila not to give him a heads up." she stated, and as she expected, the class rose to object loudly to that. Everything about Lila had been tossed aside and they all wanted to believe in her still and trust her. It left a bit of a bitter taste in her mouth to know that Lila would wiggle out of the situation she'd gotten herself into but, Hawkmoth was far more important than her. "IF ONLY-" she stressed before they got too loud, "-for no other reason than _he'll_ have a good reason to get some kind of revenge on her for accidentally spilling the beans."

That wasn't quite the truth, she had her suspicions she was working with Hawkmoth too, after Oni-chan especially, but none of that was anything _she _was supposed to know. "Chloe, make the post, I'll take Adrien to the nurse." she leaned over, offering him a hand. She hoped nobody would question it too much, she needed out of the classroom and he looked like he could use some time away from all the chaos.

He nearly objected, before he stopped himself, closing his mouth and letting her pull him to his feet. "I probably could lay down for a bit." he admitted, mostly using it as an excuse to get out of the classroom, hoping Marinette wouldn't linger too long, but knowing how much she always cared. He didn't want to lie to her to get her to go away... 

She squeezed his hand in support, unable to imagine how he must be feeling at the moment. "Everyone else, keep an eye on Lila and for butterflies. I know we're all on edge after all of this but we need to stay calm _to _help Ladybug and Chat Noir." Marinette smiled her Ladybug smile at her classmates, trying to convince them that everything was going to be fine.

"Sorry Lila, but I have to vote that means no phone." all eyes went to Max, who shrugged, taking the phone from an unresisting Lila, "We're all scared, and if she happens to have his number..."

"Post made." Chloe spoke up, interrupting the classes consideration of Lila, from where she was hanging near the windows, tapping at her phone and looking out. "Hopefully she's close by." she said softly, glancing at Adrien before returning to her watch.

"Alright." Marinette took a deep breath. "We've got this everyone." she looked around the class, relieved to see the panicked fear had turned to determination and some shock as things started to sink in, but there didn't seem to be a chance of an akuma from them now. She tugged Adrien gently out the door and down the hall, mind spinning as the quiet finally let her room to think, and not really liking any of it.

Only a few dozen feet from their class she stopped and turned to him, "I'm so sorry Adrien. I wish it wasn't him." she wanted to hug him, to offer comfort, but she couldn't stick around to _keep _giving it. "You don't deserve any of this." that was what really sucked, if it was anyone else she'd be ecstatic to have real proof of who Hawkmoth was, but it was _Adrien_. Adrien who deserved a better father than he had even before this. Natalie being Mayura was just salt in the wound, there were no adults left for him to trust, to fall back on, none that he _knew_ at least.

He laughed a little hysterically, "The more I think on it the more sense it makes." The random obsession with his ring, the sudden talk of truthfulness and not having secrets, the book that had roused his lady's suspicions in the first place- the peacock! It'd been right there and he had passed it off as nothing but now with Mayura-Natalie, on the scene it all fit too perfectly. He wanted to sit down again but he didn't want to keep Marinette out on her own for longer than he had to.

Marinette reached up with her free hand, unable to stop herself, and caressed his cheek, "I wish it didn't." she pulled away quickly, and continued down the hall, red faced as she realized just how close she'd gotten to him. 

Adrien followed along, stumbling for a moment and slightly confused at the sudden change, but pulled her to a stop as they turned down the final hall all the same, "I can go in and wait myself, go ahead and go back, you're amazing at keeping everyone calm." he smiled, coaxing another blush from her.

She looked reluctant, but finally let go of his hand neither had really realized she'd held all the way there. "Alright. Stay safe okay? I couldn't bare for anything to happen to you." she waited until he nodded to pull fully away and hurried back down the hall and out of sight. He quickly ducked into an empty classroom to wait for a minute to process things himself, and give time between the post going up and Chat Noir showing up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda wanna do a chapter of Hawkmoth going: okay whats going on with all these emotions in that class? But everytime he gets to his lair to use them they calm back down alksjd #teenagers
> 
> Lila isn't sure if she should be playing up to Gabriel or to her classmates, so she's trying to give herself outs for whichever way the dominos fall. Hawkmoth wins? Well she didn't have her phone to warn him or she would've! The heros win? She went along with everything the class wanted,to help, because she didn't know! Of course she wouldn't help him!

**Author's Note:**

> The people said they wanted more, so more you shall have.


End file.
